KinkComm Fill: Animated  Optimus x Sentinel
by WriterAnon95
Summary: Love/Hate relationship, sharing a berth, sticky sex.  The Jettwins are turned into sparklings by one of Wheeljack's inventions and Sentinel has to take care of them. It's just as well that Optimus is ordered to help, not like anything could get any worse.
1. Chapter 1

Russian terms

Mamulya – Mother

Otets – Father (pronounced uh-TYETS)

Da – Yes

Net – No

**Universe:** TF:Animated  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Sentinel Prime, Optimus Prime, Jetstorm, Jetfire, Ratchet, Jazz  
><strong>Rating:<strong> M  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> AU. This is set after they return to Cybertron. WILL HAVE: Dub con, sticky sex, spark sex, tactile, bots turned sparklings, adult language and situations. More as story progresses.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Owned by Hasbrotekatron or whoever…

* * *

><p>Sentinel was on his couch, currently in shock, with two sparklings playing on the floor in front of him.<p>

They'd been dropped off with apologies and quickly made instructions by a very flustered Wheeljack, who had upended a bag of supplies on his couch and quickly backed out the door, with him shouting that a medic would be there shortly.

So here he sat, jaw still hanging open, with his two former soldiers who were currently fighting over a colored stacking cube.

Slag.

.

* * *

><p>Rachet was professional, mostly. He'd still been laughing from Wheeljack's call when he pulled up to Sentinel's flat and just looking at the stopshocked Prime had only increased his mirth.<p>

Sentinel was quite sure he was on the verge of crashing. Ratchet had opened him up and flicked… SOMETHING that led him feeling quite uncomfortable and violated before slamming the panel shut and handing him an almost-but -not-quite-fussy Jetfire and moving to place his last digit in the sparkling's mouth.

Which led to an almost tossed Jetfire, a decidedly unamused Ratchet, and a hysteric bout of hand flapping from Sentinel.

"Confound it you blasted idiot! Don't DO that! What in the name of Cybertron is wrong with you!"

The twins were now in very-upset mode, and their wails only seemed to drive Sentinel into more of a panic.

"This is absolutely ridiculous! I'm not sure what you're trying to pull, but I am sure that there are many  
>OTHER Cybertronians who can take care of these…"<p>

He paused to look at the wailing twins.

"My former soldiers. I don't have time for this!"

Ratchet scooped the sparkling's up and held them to his chassis, swaying and bouncing in what Sentinel found to be a highly unappealing way.

"They're here partially because Wheeljack is an idiot and partially because he felt that they would be better in the company of someone they knew decently well!"

Jetfire turned coolant filled optics toward his brother, then Ratchet, before lighting on Sentinel.

"Otets!"

The wail started up again, this time from both.

"Otets! Otets!" "Otets…"

Sentinel stared.

"What in the world are they saying?"

Ratchet sighed, looking very much like he'd like to rub his chevron to stave off the incoming processor ache.

"They're calling you 'Dad' you idiot. You worked with them for how long again?"

He gaped at the twins, who were now watching him through their occasional hiccups.

"No. NO NO NO NO NO! There is NO WAY I'm playing 'dad' to a pair of useless sparklings! Absolutely NOT going to happen old bot! Why don't you just take them down to Jazz, or Magnus, slag! Take them to Optimus and his green blob! I am NOT keeping them here!"

A hard look crossed Ratchet's face.

"Now you listen here and you listen good you no good waste of space! Magnus TOLD Wheeljack that you would take them in. Wheeljack did something, we don't know yet, and called Ultra Magnus who told him to send them to you and call me. Regardless of your feelings here _Prime_, these sparklings are now your orders."

Sentinel sagged and dropped back down to the couch, only vaguely aware he'd gotten up in the first place, and just stared.

The twins were reaching out for him, their vocalizers hitching with sobs, and calling him that infernal name.

"Otets."

He stiffly held his arms out and Ratchet carefully placed them both in his grasp.

"I don't suppose Ultra Magnus saw fit to volunteer anyone else for this, seeing as how I haven't ever taken care of sparklings before?"

"What, admitting you actually can't do something? Careful there Sentinel, I might get the idea you aren't perfect."

Sentinel bristled.

"Think what you like, you rusty scrap heap!"

Ratchet held up a somewhat placating gesture, marred by the smirk on his face.

"Well, as it so happens Sentinel, Ultra Magnus did indeed assign you a helper. Picked by the twins themselves even."

Sentinel's arms tightened slightly around the sparklings. There was really only one way this could get any worse.

"Don't say it. Don't even think about saying it!"

Ratchet's smile was creepy and smirky and much to evil for his liking.

"I won't say anything about it. Not a name, certainly not an image."

Ratchet turned and walked to the door.

"Except that he'll be here soon. Good luck _Prime_."

Sentinel's bellows were heard throughout the neighborhood.


	2. Chapter 2

**Universe:** TF:Animated  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Sentinel Prime, Optimus Prime, Jetstorm, Jetfire, Ratchet, Jazz  
><strong>Rating:<strong> M  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> AU. This is set after they return to Cybertron. WILL HAVE: Dub con, sticky sex, spark sex, tactile, bots turned sparklings, adult language and situations. More as story progresses.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Owned by Hasbrotekatron or whoever…

* * *

><p>When Optimus pinged for entry he wasn't really sure what to expect.<p>

He'd been sent a data packet by a highly amused Ultra Magnus and apology glyphs from Wheeljack and Ratchet. Wheeljack's was tinged with embarrassment, Ratchet's was hard to understand surrounded by all the mirth.

Even with the information, however, he was vaguely sure that nothing would be like it was recorded. With the government, it rarely was.

He only knew a few things with absolute certainty.

One, the twins had been turned or reverted somehow into sparklings.

Two, the twins had claimed Sentinel as their 'Otets' (Ratchet had used 'baby daddy', but he was sure that wasn't accurate).

Three, the twins had seen his image and claimed him as Mumulya (which Ratchet had again defined in a way he was entirely uncomfortable with)

And four, that until such time as Wheeljack and Perceptor created or discovered a way to revert the twins to their previous age he was stuck sparkling sitting with the one bot that could grate his neural lines with consistency.

If Optimus believed in gratuitous swearing, he was sure he would be flagrantly availing the community with his knowledge of Earth languages.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Sentinel hadn't moved from his couch since Ratchet had left, instead forcing himself to keep as still as he was able so as not to disturb the light recharge the twins had fallen into.

Until his… help arrived, he wasn't going to do anything that even hinted at making this more difficult.

Crying sparklings was more than classified as difficult.

So when he received the ping asking for entry he nearly blew his door control with the forced command to open.

Optimus stood, mouth set in a neutral expression across the frame. His optics immediately sought out the tiny bodies snuggled close to Sentinel's chassis and his jaw dropped.

Sentinel growled, the minute vibrations making the twins stir before he settled on a glare.

::Get in here so I can shut the fragging door you idiot. I don't want people getting the wrong idea here!::

Optimus shut his mouth and stepped through the door, jumping as it snapped shut nearly on his pede, and stood not much closer to the group then he'd been before.

::Are you going to come in or do I need to send you an express invitation?::

With a growl of his own, Optimus moved over to the couch and stared down at the three on it.

The twins were smaller then he'd thought they would be, he mused. Back before the Academy he had watched his carrier's friend's sparklings on occasion, they all loved it when he played with them, but somehow even the newsparks he remembered were bigger then these two tiny jets.

Sentinal watched as Optimus' optics dimmed in memory, of what he didn't know, and remembered _before_, when they'd all promised to be there for each other.

When they'd promised to be each other's firsts.

He barely held back a snort. Silly sentimental nonsense, that was all it was. Elita was gone and he and Optimus were in vastly different places then they had been back then.

Still, if the only thing he could admit to himself was that Optimus had only grown more attractive over the vorns, then at least that would be his only concession.

* * *

><p>.<p>

When the sparkling's had finally woken up, Optimus sitting stiffly across from Sentinel in an arm chair, Sentinel had handed Jetstorm over and gingerly placed his pinky finger in Jetfire's mouth.

Optimus had either already known what to do or Ratchet had fiddled with him the same as Sentinel, but he showed no hesitation in offering his own finger to Jetstorm.

"This is disgusting. I'm sure that there is another way to do this, can't I just hold a cube for him to drink out of?"

Optimus looked up from where he was smiling at the small jet.

"They can't have full strength Energon just yet, their systems can't process it correctly. They just take our filtered Energon until they can be fitted with the correct system on their own."

Sentinel's distaste was apparent.

"How long is that supposed to take! You're telling me that I have to do this twice each stellar cycle until they either get knocked back or upgraded?"

Optimus ducked his head to hide the ever growing smile at Sentinel's discomfort.

"Actually, they'll need to be refueled six to eight times per cycle. Small tanks can't hold that much."

When he dared look up, Optimus couldn't hold back his laughter at the gob smacked look on his former friend's face.

"You're telling me, that I have to waste my time sitting here doing this slag EIGHT TIMES a CYCLE!"

Jetfire, who had been trying to keep ahold of a jerking hand finally lost his grip and patience and let out a sharp, wailing cry that made the red and blue Prime cringe.

Jetstorm held on for a klick longer before he joined his brother, both of them reaching arms for each other.

Sentinel snapped his mouth shut and shuttered his optics for a moment before abruptly standing and dumping Jetfire into Optimus' lap.

He walked out the door without a backward glance.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Optimus had managed to calm the twins down easily enough, simply offering them both a pinky finger. It had taken him a moment to work out a position that allowed him to feed both, but in the end it was comfortable enough for all of them.

Still, with the twins in his crossed arms he couldn't really move around much and had given up trying to comm Sentinel after his first few tries were ignored.

The twins had stopped actively fueling and were more or less playing with his fingers now. Nibbles and wet kisses, short suckles and raspberries tickled the sensors in his hands and he couldn't help but smile at their antics. They frequently looked at each other, Optimus could swear that they were talking over their twin bond, and his face, patting the dermal plating and cooing.

"Mamulya!"

That meant mother, Ratchet had told him.

Why they identified HIM as a carrier he didn't know, but even his limited experience with sparklings told him that the carrier was a very important bot to a young sparkling. He felt honored that the twins had chosen him, for all that they really hadn't known each other.

It was getting late though, and Sentinel still hadn't returned from his temper tantrum. He really didn't know where anything was in the flat, or where they were all supposed to sleep.

The twins, thankfully, had switched from happy and playful to happy and sleepy, and had dozed their way into a decently deep recharge. He shifted them into a more comfortable position and settled back to wait until Sentinel decided to face his responsibility.

Optimus vented. He was sure that would take a while, if it happened at all.

.

* * *

><p>Sentinel wasn't really sure where he was going, but he'd be slagged if it was back to his flat.<p>

This whole _situation_ was entirely unacceptable. He was a Prime, had been acting MAGNUS for a time! Why the slag were they putting this mess on his shoulders? Surely there were bots in different positions that were better equipped to deal with sparklings.

Surely.

But no, Ultra Magnus had spoken and he was now officially listed as the twin's guardians. Not only that, but he'd been pinged a new schedule that relieved him of all unnecessary duties pending enemy attack.

In other words, they'd taken everything away from him. As a Prime, he'd had duties to military and government, Optimus as well, but now they had both been _removed_ from the whole system for a pair of Primus dammed sparklings from an experiment gone wrong.

So now, he was pacing the grounds outside his own flat, spewing vitriol that had the neighbors giving him dirty looks and a wide berth in the road.

He didn't mind that a bit.

Being stuck, not only with the sparklings, but with Optimus as well was simply an overload to his senses.

He could admit a few things, to himself only, that he had done in the past that had done their part in severing their 'relations' to each other.

He'd been a jerk to both him and Elita. His very nature tended toward caustic and being alone for a time hadn't helped his social sense.

But his uncompromising ego had been what had ruined them.

Sentinel clapped hands to his face and sunk to a bench. He had been so ambitious that he had ruined the only friendship he'd ever had for power.

Power that now was worthless. Less than worthless, because Magnus had been slowly relieving him of his duties before this had happened. He had been doing paperwork, DESKWORK, for the Magnus.

A gross misappropriation of his abilities if you asked him.

Still, Ultra Magnus was clearly losing faith in him, and now he didn't even have the paperwork to keep him sane.

This sucked slag.


	3. Chapter 3

**Universe:** TF:Animated  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Sentinel Prime, Optimus Prime, Jetstorm, Jetfire, Ratchet, Jazz  
><strong>Rating:<strong> M  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> AU. This is set after they return to Cybertron. WILL HAVE: Dub con, sticky sex, spark sex, tactile, bots turned sparklings, adult language and situations. More as story progresses.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Owned by Hasbrotekatron or whoever…

* * *

><p>It was very late when Sentinel finally made himself go back to his flat. So late that he could see the early workers getting ready to go in for the first shift.<p>

He'd been sitting on that bench all night, trying to make some sense of his situation.

The downside was that now, he was running on fumes and utterly exhausted. He checked his comms to find pings from Optimus, Ultra Magnus, Ratchet and even Jazz with return tags.

He hadn't even noticed them comming.

It made sense though, seeing as he'd left Optimus with the twins and not come back. He would have pitched a fit at his soldiers for much less.

Still, he was tired enough to keep ignoring the messages and open his door, walking in quietly, before stopping in his tracks.

Of course, he hadn't shown or told Optimus anything. So there, still sitting in the armchair, was a sleeping Optimus cuddling the sleeping twins. They were curled into his body, faces pressed against the warm metal even as tremors lightly shook their bodies.

Cold, his foggy processor supplied. They were cold.

He glanced at the upended bag and located the thermal blankets they'd left him, stooping to pick them up before moving as silently as possible over to the sleeping trio.

In recharge, Optimus' face was beautiful. Slightly slack jaw with gently upturned corners that hinted at his smile, the barely drooping finials and the way he vented ever so softly only served to make him more and more attractive.

Sentinel had always loved watching him sleep, time hadn't changed that.

He shook himself and placed the blankets lightly over the twins, not noticing when Optimus unshuttered his optics to regard him somewhat stiffly.

He'd turned around and was walking to his berth room when Optimus spoke.

"Nice to see you actually came back."

Sentinel's back struts stiffened and he turned back slowly.

"Yeah well, nothing you need to worry over. I won't do it again."

There was a moment of tense optic contact before Sentinel broke, slouching over and sitting on the couch.

"I just have a lot on my mind. I wasn't prepared for this."

The younger Prime's lipplates twisted in an approximation of a smile.

"Sentinel, I don't think ANYONE was prepared for this. Dealing with it now is as good as it's going to get."

Sentinel scrubbed his faceplates with a hand before standing up again.

"I'll get us some Energon."

* * *

><p>.<p>

Getting Energon was what Sentinel had thought would be his last task before he claimed a few jours of rechcarge, but when he returned to the living area he found the twins waking with chirrs of hunger.

He placed a cube on the table next to Optimus before hesitantly and gingerly taking the blue twin and moving to the couch.

Knocking back his Energon quickly, he reluctantly placed his pinky finger into the sparkling's mouth, shuddering at the wet sensation before looking back to Optimus.

Jetfire was happily feeding, small gurgles and coos erupting around the digit, and patting whatever plating his tiny hands could reach. Optimus was staring with such a soft expression that for a moment Sentinel's processor stuttered.

He pointedly looked away from both sparklings and Optimus for the rest of the feeding.

When they were finished, Sentinel was nearly in recharge where he sat. Still holding Jetstorm he staggered to his pedes and looked at the younger Prime.

"I'll show you the berthroom. I have a collapsible berth that we can use for the twins and I'll get another one today for you."

The twins babbled the entire way, their soft chirrs and clicks the only sound in the flat. It would have been sparkbreakingly domestic if Sentinel allowed himself to think about it, but his higher functions were nearly on standby and he couldn't bring himself to care.

When they reached the room, Optimus simply took the blue twin from Sentinel's arms and placed them both out of the way before retrieving and setting up the spare berth.

Sentinel watched with cloudy optics before a gentle push made him sit heavily on his own berth.

"Get a few joors of recharge Sentinel. I'll be fine for now."

With that Optimus scooped up the twins and left him alone.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Optimus enjoyed his morning with the twins and without Sentinel. They played, fed, played some more and fed again.

By the time Sentinel got up, they were curled into each other and dozing on the couch, Optimus was sipping a cube of Energon and had a book file lazily grasped in his hand.

He fidgeted a moment before venting sharply.

"I'm sorry. I'm not really great at any of this and I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Optimus deliberately placed the book file down with more care then was needed before swirling what was left of his Energon and looking Sentinel in the optics.

"I'm not going to lie Sentinel. I'm here expressly because Ultra Magnus told me I'm required to be, and if it weren't for the fact that you were also ordered into this I would have just taken the twins back to my home and left you alone."

Sentinel scowled, shifting on his pedes.

"I'm more than willing to do this for the twins, but I'm not going to play your games and deal with your issues. I've given you more than enough chances, Sentinel, and I'm done."

He stiffened, optics on the ground as he nodded.

"Yeah well, let's just get through this and we'll get out of each other's wiring. Don't flatter yourself into thinking I'm enjoying your presence anyway…"

He turned and stomped to the kitchen, missing the flash of hurt that passed through Optimus' optics before they hardened again.

* * *

><p>.<p>

The day had gone well. Sentinel had been, well, not nice exactly, but he hadn't been his usual insulting self either.

They had both been rather quiet, actually. The conversation had been next to nil, really only information trading processors as they fought to establish a pattern and non-spoken guideline for the twins care.

Do this, don't do that. Put that here, not there. I'll get that, you stop TOUCHING my things.

There had been a 'please' as an afterthought to the last comment, but it was, as they say, too little too late.

Still, it was finally late enough to justify trying to put the twins down for recharge and trying to snag a few solitary minutes.

Key word was 'trying'.

"Mamulya!" "Otets"

The twins kept patting their hands and pointing to Sentinel's berth, their frustration with the two Primes getting clearer and clearer.

Sentinel was the one to cave, plopping the little jet onto his giant berth and motioning for Optimus to do the same.

"You can have the extra berth, I'll take the couch tonight."

They hadn't made it out to get an extra, and Sentinel was too tired to keep fighting.

Jetfire was placed next to his twin and they chirred and clicked rapidly to each other before looking up expectantly.

"Mamulya." Jetfire patted the berth and Optimus sat down with a smile. Indulging sparklings was something that he had always done and these two were no different.

"Otets!"

Optimus glanced at the little jet and had to duck his head to keep from laughing. Jetstorm had his tiny hands on his hips and was looking at Sentinel with a stern face.

"Otets!"

He very firmly patted the berth beside him before crossing his arms, Jetfire joining in a klick later.

"Da! Otets!"

He also patted the berth before turning to Optimus and chirring, opening his mouth expectantly.

Optimus lay down, tucking the twin into the crook of his arm and offering his pinky finger with a smile, his attention firmly focused on feeding the orange twin.

"You have GOT to be kidding me!"

Jetstorm, obviously, didn't answer, but rather patted the berth again and opened his own mouth at the blue Prime.

"Ah ah! Otets Ah ah!"

Sentinel turned on his heel, ready to stomp out of the berthroom when a mild but clearly annoyed voice stopped him.

"You haven't forgotten our chat this morning so easily I hope."

His struts tightened up and he shook with barely restrained fury before everything suddenly and completely relaxed.

"You don't have to remind me. In fact, you can just keep your vocalizer muted while we're in here and everything will be just fragging FINE."

Optimus narrowed his optics, but kept his mouth shut and turned his attention back to the sparkling.

Sentinel moved stiffly over to the blue twin, laying as close to the edge and on as little surface area as possible before offering his finger.

Jetstorm vented contentedly and cuddled with his back to his brother's, leaving Sentinel with a decent amount of space between them.

He glared at the trio in front of him, processor running through all of the disgusting and embarrassing things that they would be doing once everything was back to normal.

Optimus caught his glare once before venting and offlining his optics.

Fragger.


	4. Chapter 4

**Universe:** TF:Animated  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Sentinel Prime, Optimus Prime, Jetstorm, Jetfire, Ratchet, Jazz  
><strong>Rating:<strong> M  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> AU. This is set after they return to Cybertron. WILL HAVE: Dub con, sticky sex, spark sex, tactile, bots turned sparklings, adult language and situations. More as story progresses.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Owned by Hasbrotekatron or whoever…

* * *

><p>~flashback~<p>

_"Sentinel! We're supposed to be studying for the exam, you know."_

_Sentinel grinned wickedly, never stopping his hands from mapping out the glass on Optimus' chest. He was pressed against his friend's back, hands roaming and caressing, playing a game he knew he would win sooner or later._

_"Not as much fun as this, Optimus, and it is a form of study, if you know what I mean."_

_The body was starting to twist and tremble under his hands, a sure sign that they'd be back in their dorm before it got much further._

_"You know I need to study for this class! You and Elita may not need it, but I do. Ah! Sentinel!"_

_Sentinel pressed his grin into the warm neck before him, nipping at the cables presented ever so temptingly._

_"How about this then, we go back to our dorm and I'll make SURE you pass this test. I think that's a fair offer, don't you?"_

_The books were snapped shut so quickly Sentinel had to stifle a laugh. It was so easy to get Optimus riled up and willing to kiss for hours on one of their beds Sentinel would have teased him; if that wouldn't have reduced his chances for action anyway._

_Still, very soon they were back in their dorm and Optimus dropped his bag with no concern for the items inside. It always turned Sentinel on that Optimus focused in on him with such intensity, like he was the only thing in the Universe._

_"You going to make good on your promise? Or do I need to go back and get some real work done."_

_Sentinel growled, pulling the other mech to him with crushing force._

_"You shouldn't tempt me if you aren't willing to follow through, Optimus."_

_A shudder as he nipped the sensitive metal of Optimus' chin._

_"What if I was willing? Would you be mech enough to make it good for me?"_

_Sentinel stopped and pushed back, looking at his friend (was that even the right term anymore?), then leaned forward to put his mouth right alongside the other's audials._

_"You wouldn't even be able to remember your name if you were willing. I'd make sure of it."_

_Optimus' back arched at the sound and vibration of the sinfully deep voice that assaulted his senses. His optics darkened and he pulled Sentinel into a scorching kiss before sending them both tumbling onto the closest berth._

_It was both awkward and not, this new feeling, and there were times when Optimus almost pulled back. Almost ran out and left it behind because it was new and not new and exciting and terrifying all at the same time. _

_Sentinel's hands were everywhere. His glass, his antenna, his seams… it seemed as though he'd sprouted extra hands because there wasn't a square inch of Optimus that couldn't feel him._

_Still, it was such a new feeling for him, one he wasn't used to at all. Sentinel was clearly experienced, but Optimus hadn't had a partner yet. His seals had been broken, who hadn't touched themselves after all, but he'd never felt comfortable with anyone before Sentinel._

_He tried to reciprocate, his hands flitting almost confusedly over the blue plating over him, but then Sentinel would do 'something' and Optimus would feel like he'd lost control of his motor functions and have to start all over again._

_A leg pressed between his own smooth thighs to connect with his interfacing panels and he bowed up off the bed, gasping and venting wildly. The thigh rubbed back and forth and Optimus found himself rocking into the sensation as it grew until he heard the 'whoosh' of the panels retracting._

_His spike pressurized quickly, and he could feel the trickle of lubricants start to leak onto the berth as Sentinel's weight suddenly disappeared before his spike was enveloped in a slick heat._

_"AAaaaaAHHH! Sentinel!"_

_A chuckle vibrated around his spike, making him squirm even more, before the heat retreated and came back._

_And off and on and off and on andoffandonandoffandon…_

_Optimus was sucking air through his vents, trying to cool his overheating engine, as everything stuttered and whined and clanked together. The heat vanished from his spike and he heard himself whine before that same glorious mouth reached lower and nipped at the edge of his valve._

_He choked/gasped as a finger and glossa slid teasingly over the rim before delving inside. It seemed as though Sentinel was bringing him to the edge of overload before backing off and it was maddening. Self pleasure had never ever prepared him for what this felt like. It was like comparing Seekers and Grounders; it didn't even have the same base in reality._

_Then suddenly Sentinel was back at his mouth and he could taste himself through the kisses. Sentinel's spike nudged at his entrance once before thrusting in…_

_And Optimus cried out and tried to curl in on himself._

_Sentinel, for his part, immediately stopped and looked down in shock. Optimus tried to relax, tried to force his body to flatten back out on the bed, but the all to sudden stretch of his valve was as close to torturous as he thought it could be._

_Sentinel pulled back out , both of their charges diminished from the shock, and gently ran a hand down Optimus' arm._

_"Why didn't you tell me? I would have prepared you better if I'd known you hadn't…"_

_Shame curled up in Optimus and he turned his head to the wall._

_"I, ah, I didn't think it would matter. I didn't know you would have to do anything…"_

_And he hadn't. After he'd broken his seal, he'd never had a problem with his own fingers and hadn't even thought about what a larger item would do._

_Sentinel vented and his spike panel slipped back into place, mood effectively killed, and walked to their shared water bucket. He took a clean rag and dipped it into the lukewarm water before returning to the bed and gently wiping down Optimus' interface array._

_Optimus flinched with each swipe until Sentinel was done, then went to shut his panels before a hand stopped him. He gave a questioning look before hissing in surprise as a digit again breached his valve rim._

_"What are you doing?"_

_Sentinel gave him an almost glare._

_"Checking for damage you twit! I didn't want to hurt you, but if I did you can be sure I'll be taking you to the medic!"_

_Optimus shrank back and let Sentinel probe the tender metal flesh of his valve, ignoring the tiny bolts of pain that sudden movement caused._

_A relieved vent from Sentinel told him all was fine. He snikked his panel closed as soon as the fingers cleared the rim and resolutely stared at the wall, embarrassment and shame flushing his dermal metal and making it hot to the touch._

_"Look, it isn't that big a deal. Just, next time I'll be more careful. I don't want to hurt you, Optimus."_

_A quick glance showed him Sentinel's face was serious. Optimus pushed himself up and gingerly rested against the wall._

_"Sorry, I really didn't know."_

_Sentinel crawled up and sat next to him, pulling him into a rough hug and staying with his arm wrapped around Optimus' shoulders._

_"Just talk to me. I don't EVER want to hurt you."_

_ ~end flashback~  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>...<em>

Sentinel's optics force booted as his processor snapped on. His vents were shaky as the last of the memory flux faded from his active thoughts and he stared into the face of his once best friend and lover.

Primus it was hard not to touch. His body remembered, achingly so, each touch and caress from the dream and his processor hurt to think on the conversation.

_'I don't ever want to hurt you.'_

Frag. He'd bungled that up spectacularly. How had it gone from perfect to slag so quickly? He'd really loved Optimus back then, Pit, he wasn't sure he didn't still love him, but…

It didn't matter now anyway. Optimus had made it clear where Sentinel stood with him.

* * *

><p>...<p>

The days started to pass more quickly. A rhythm was hammered out and followed; Sentinel even found that he was starting to enjoy playing with the twins. He couldn't remember playing like this with his own creators, and it was a soothing balm to the tension that was ever present between him and Optimus.

The first few days had been rough, but everything was new that it was almost expected. Once they tried to set up a third berth in the room for Optimus though the twins would have none of it. They were fine sleeping in Sentinel's berth or the extra one pushed against the wall, but they had fits if Sentinel and Optimus didn't sleep in the same berth.

It took some 'creative rearranging' on the two Prime's parts, but eventually the twins were satisfied and Optimus was accepting. Sentinel had firmly tamped down his almost gleeful reaction to the situation, his body shuddering in anticipation to something his processor shut down instantly.

Still, they were here and if not happy then at least satisfied with the whole arrangement.

Until that Primus dammed recharge flux anyway.

.

* * *

><p>Optimus vented and pushed Sentinel off of him.<p>

This had started happening more and more frequently and he was getting quite tired of it. Sentinel's cuddling ways were apparently no lesser now than they had been at the Academy but where Optimus had welcomed them then he pushed them away now.

A grunt came from the recharging bot, then a soft murmur that sounded suspiciously like 'Baby please' before the arm came reaching again to snug Optimus to the broad blue chest.

Optimus felt his patience fray and snap. He could have dealt with this if it wasn't a constant thing, but every single night he was clutched at and felt up and pulled into the softest and most tender embraces he'd had since the Academy and he just couldn't…

He just couldn't. He refused to fall into that trap again.

"SENTINEL!"

It wasn't just Sentinel that burst out of recharge and Optimus regretted his outburst immediately as the twins started to wail.

He shoved himself off the berth and sat down next to the jets, cooing softly and stroking their helms in motions that calmed him just as much as it calmed them.

Sentinel was looking at him in a dazedly confused way.

"What?"

Optimus just vented, resisting the urge to rub the edges of his optics.


	5. Chapter 5

**Universe:** TF:Animated  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Sentinel Prime, Optimus Prime, Jetstorm, Jetfire, Ratchet, Jazz  
><strong>Rating:<strong> M  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> AU. This is set after they return to Cybertron. WILL HAVE: Dub con, sticky sex, spark sex, tactile, bots turned sparklings, adult language and situations. More as story progresses.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Owned by Hasbrotekatron or whoever…

* * *

><p>Sentinel's optics snap booted, his vents coming in a fast and heavy rhythm, and he could feel his body shaking.<p>

There had to be a limit. He'd been sharing his berth with Optimus for orns now with memory fluxes every recharge period and onlined more and more with warm plating just within his grasp. Primus help him, he'd actually _snuggled_ Optimus the other orn in a haze before being snapped at to let go.

The twins could feel the tension between their 'Mamulya' and 'Otets' and had been harder and harder to calm down lately, which let to him and Optimus being more and more tense and FRAG if the cycling feeding of tension wasn't enough to make him want to just give up!

Still, he was almost locked into his flux as he watched his hands reach for his one time lover. They ran gently over the smooth metal and he swore someone else was controlling his body before tugging them together.

It was pleasant for a moment, while Optimus was still in recharge, and he'd even almost drifted back into recharge when the smaller Prime stiffened and let out a low growl.

"Sentinel, I swear to Primus I'm going to hurt you one of these orns."

He shoved the clinging arms aside and pushed himself upright, glaring at the half shuttered and hazed optics before him.

"Please…"

That was CLEARLY not his voice. It was much too soft, too whiney and _certainly_ too weak to have come from his vocalizer. Obviously whatever had taken control of his body was still there and playing games with his processor.

It didn't stop Optimus from stiffening even more before standing up abruptly and dragging Sentinel from the berthroom.

Sentinel stumbled down the hall, being yanked by a piece of kibble from his alt form, and not-yelped as he was literally thrown down on the couch by a very angry Optimus.

"Please? Please what Sentinel. Please save Elita? Please let me go back to see if there was even a body? Please don't SELL ME OUT to the council and get me TRANSFERRED to a repair crew?"

His arms were tightly crossed in front of his chassis and optics colder than ice. Whatever progress Sentinel had thought he'd made seemed insignificant as he fought not to cringe under the powerful stare.

"Primus damn it Optimus! I'm SORRY! Is that what you want from me? I was an idiot, yes, let's get it out now. An _idiot_ who was afraid of losing EVERYTHING that I'd ever wanted. "

As soon as the words were out of his vocalizer he wished he could take them back. This was not how he'd wanted to do this and as he watched Optimus' face twist in fury before going completely neutral he was struck by how much he'd actually missed his best friend.

He just had pit slagged timing.

"You were afraid of losing everything, hm? So the fact that you lost Elita and me didn't matter much in the scheme of things I take it. At least, that seems to be what you're telling me?"

"What! NO!"

Sentinel lunged forward and caught Optimus' arms in a fierce hold.

"I'll admit I never was more than friends with Elita, I'll admit that I made a bad slagging call when I had us leave without her, but I swear on my spark I never meant to hurt you!"

Optimus broke, shoving Sentinel back onto the couch and kneeling over him with a feral expression on his face plates.

"How could you think that it wouldn't hurt me! She was my friend too Sentinel! Then you tell them that it was MY fault that she was gone! MY FAULT SENTINEL!"

Both of their vents were coming in quick and heavy pants and Optimus fisted his hands into Sentinel's armor hard enough to dent it.

"You want a berth partner? Fine. I'll show you _exactly_ what you could have had if you'd thought about someone other than yourself just once."

Sentinel's vents stopped completely as Optimus claimed his mouth in a hard kiss. No tender feelings, just hurt and anger and lust and everything else just flew out the window.

Hands slipped through the cracks in his armor to tease sensitive wiring, ghost touches to his protoform and stubby antenna had him panting before he could retaliate and even as he remembered to circulate air through his vents again he unconsciously pressed back into those roaming hands.

Somewhere in his processor he shouted for them to stop, that this wasn't what he wanted, but another part encouraged it. Maybe if he had Optimus just one more time he'd find that it wasn't like it had been. It wasn't as good as he'd made it back then.

Another part of his processor protested the position. He'd never before been the submissive partner and starting now didn't seem like a good idea.

"Gonna let me in that tight valve of yours then Optimus? Beg me like you used to while I keep you on edge for as long as it takes me to get those lovely noises out of you that I could before?"

Sentinel grasped at control, tugging a bit harder than necessary on one of Optimus' antenna and sneered at the face above his. This was so familiar and yet not, it was charging him up like little had recently.

"Actually Sentinel, you'll find that _you_ are the one who will be incoherent. You let me in, or I walk away from this and petition Ultra Magnus to take me off this project. I'm done with you Sentinel. _Done_."

One look told Sentinel that he wasn't kidding. He'd rarely seen Optimus so riled up, even when goading him directly, and he had to throttle down his engine before responding with flashing optics.

"FINE! You win _Prime_. Shall I bend over for you like an Earth dog? Or ride you like a slave does to their master? Perhaps you'd like me tied in chains!"

The throaty rev of both their engines silenced the words that Optimus growled, but there was no mistaking the predatory look that flushed Sentinel's own plating with thick heat.

"Nothing so base, Sentinel. I'll take you as you first took me, what better way to show you just how much you have missed."

This time, it was a flash of fear that flickered over Sentinel's face plates. Angry interfacing would be fine, no feelings attached, and get them both back to normal.

He couldn't deal with gentle.

He didn't deserve gentle.

Yet his body betrayed him at every turn. Responsive and sensitive in places he'd thought long gone, when nothing but fingertips trailed over the blue plating he found himself arching and panting. His face slack in pleasure even as chaste kisses were rained all over it.

He found that he couldn't reciprocate, couldn't force himself into the farse Optimus was dropping on him even as his body clenched in pleasure from the teasing touches of his former lover.

So his hands fell to his sides and stayed there, digging into the soft foam of the couch as his body rocked with hidden emotion and charged movements.

It had been a long time since he'd had a lover, and even longer still one that had taken any time to touch him the way Optimus was doing. He was always in control and this was a novelty that grew on him with each passing klick. The soft metal glossa spreading lubricant over the cables where his leg met pelvic plate just flickering in and out of the transformation seams, teasing, the hands that stroked and gentled and pushed and pulled him until he was lying back on the couch with knees bent and spread wide. Optimus knelt on the floor and suddenly there was a rush of sensation as he licked the edges of Sentinel's interfacing panels.

They snapped open eagerly, too much so, and Sentinel's spike pressurized instantly, presenting itself to Optimus at attention. There were no words, no quiet murmurs, no soft laughing like there had been before, just the involuntary sounds coming from Sentinel's own traitorous vocalizer as his spike was swallowed in one fell swoop.

Optimus bobbed his head, shifting every other movement to let the tip rub along the back of his fuel intake, and grazed his denta over the sensitive metal before letting his glossa soothe the sting. Sentinel fought to say something, to force himself out of the haze Optimus had put him in before something else would catch his air circulation and he would have to shut down his vocalizer to hold back a moan.

Optimus pulled off, a frustrated and relieved noise his only background, before slipping lower and nipping at the edges. It was telling how revved up he was that that was all he did before moving back up and pushing Sentinel's knees wide and sliding back his own spike panel, spike extending quickly before he thrust into the dripping valve.

An almost inaudible 'pop' was heard but Optimus paid it no mind. He only stopped when he pulled out and saw energon covering his spike and for the first time in a long time, swore.

"Frag it Sentinel! You didn't tell me you were still sealed!"

The larger Prime didn't look at him, just lay there with his head turned and Optimus nearly snapped at him again before he saw the lone tear track its way down his faceplate.

"Just get out."

It was said softly, almost inaudibly, and Optimus hesitated, his hand rising to cup Sentinel's strong chin before it was caught and thrown away.

"I said, Get Out."

Optimus stood and closed his panel before stepping around the couch and hesitating again.

"I'm sorry Sentinel, I didn't-"

Sentinel flew off the couch, throwing whatever came into his hands.

"Get out GET OUT GET OUT! LEAVE! DON'T COME BACK!"

Optimus fled out the door, Sentinel's command slamming it shut on his heels, and he cracked. Tears pouring from his optics even as he heard the twins wail from his berthroom.

Tears that didn't stop as he made his way painfully through his flat to lay on the berth with the twins, letting them suck on his fingers with no care to the oral lubricant that dripped all over his plating. He clung to them and cried, really cried, for the first time in his damn life.


	6. Chapter 6

**Universe:** TF:Animated  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Sentinel Prime, Optimus Prime, Jetstorm, Jetfire, Ratchet, Jazz  
><strong>Rating:<strong> M  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> AU. This is set after they return to Cybertron. WILL HAVE: Dub con, sticky sex, spark sex, tactile, bots turned sparklings, adult language and situations. More as story progresses.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Owned by Hasbrotekatron or whoever…

* * *

><p>Optimus was curled on his own berth in his long unused flat. A tatty thermal blanket was clutched to his chassis as he stared off into nothing, his vents coming in uneven gasps.<p>

Primus but he hated Sentinel.

Hated himself for hurting Sentinel.

Hated Sentinel for hurting him.

Hated this whole situation for putting them in close company.

Optimus was angry, furious. Ifs and maybes and could haves ran through his processor so quickly circuits were starting to short from the amount of electricity snapping through them. His whole head ached and there wasn't any relief in sight.

After Sentinel had kicked him out Optimus had gone straight to Ratchet's and gotten overcharged enough to pass out in the medic's living room before staggering back here when he woke in the middle of the recharge period.

He'd always tried to be kind, to find the good in everyone, and the one time he'd done something selfish, something with the true intent to hurt the other party…

He hated himself for that. For losing it with Sentinel and really truly trying to hurt him.

And now he'd hurt him in more than just the small, petty way he'd planned. He'd forced himself on a fellow Prime, but more than that, he'd forced himself on a former friend. Someone he had once loved with all his spark.

Optimus wasn't aware of the tears slipping down his face, he wasn't aware of the insistent pings from Ratchet. He was only aware of his own guilt, his own shortcomings.

The memory file of Sentinel's face, lone tear glistening. He'd never seen that look on Sentinel before, the absolute desolation that HE'D caused.

His vents were coming quickly, far too quickly for his systems to process them properly, and his cycling optics caught the sight of a worried Ratchet

before his stressed processor sent him into stasis lock.

* * *

><p>...<p>

Sentinel was on his back on the floor, twins using him as a makeshift jungle gym. His system had been pinging him since last night but he kept shoving it out of his HUD, not ready to deal with whatever it said. His valve was sore, nothing unexpected, but he'd dealt with worse injuries.

His processor kept replaying those terrible last few minutes and he couldn't help but feel guilty. He'd expected Optimus to be angry, to be rough. That he'd been so gentle, that was what hurt. He'd never placed much importance on his seal, it was that Optimus was cruel in his caring caresses. He'd lavished attention, as close to worship as Sentinel had ever been able to get, and yet…

Damn him. Damn him to the Pit.

He must have made some kind of conflicted noise, because the twins were immediately next to his face. Patting his cheeks with their chubby little hands, kissing him with open mouthed, sloppy kisses that normally would have made him cringe but now just made him want to cry again.

Frag crying.

Still, he raised large hands and cupped the sparklings to his face, nuzzling them each in turn before offering his pinky fingers. They regarded him solemnly before accepting, quietly feeding as their Otets shuttered his optics and pretended he couldn't feel the tears that insisted on slipping out to land on the floor.

* * *

><p>...<p>

Optimus onlined to find himself laid out on his berth, thermal blanket still clutched in his hands. Ratchet was in a chair not far, reading something on a data pad, and looked up when an internal chime told him  
>Optimus had booted.<p>

"The PIT were you thinking kid! First you come and get overclocked at my place, then LEAVE in the middle of the NIGHT? Then I get here to find you not answering your comms and STASIS LOCKED. Really Optimus, I'm sure you're smarter than this."

Optimus turned his head away from the medic and vented heavily.

"I messed up, Ratchet."

The old medic vented noisily, clanking over the edge of the berth, and placed a rough hand on Optimus' shoulder.

"You were in a bad way kid. Was whatever happened that bad?"

Tears made themselves known and he pushed them aside angrily before answering in a low voice.

"Yeah. It was that bad."

Optimus suddenly found himself pulled up into a gruff hug, Ratchet's strong arms wrapping themselves around his chassis and holding tight. He froze for a second before reaching up to clutch the old bot, sobs and static spitting from his vocalizer as he cried into the warm chest of his friend.

"I-I-I messed up. Couldn't take it anymore Ratchet, he was just so grabby and I was DONE with it. DONE Ratchet, I couldn't take him treating me like it never happened!"

Ratchet didn't know the whole history between the two Primes, but he knew what the rest of the public did, as well as Optimus' own version. The rest wasn't hard to put into place, not with the bot crying in his arms.

"Primus kid, what in the world happened?"

Optimus' whole body shuddered.

"He just… the twins get upset if we don't sleep in the same berth. They won't eat, won't recharge, they just wail at us until we both are lying down together."

"At first, it wasn't so bad. We kept to our respective sides, didn't move much, and everything was alright. It would still be alright if Sentinel hadn't started getting closer and closer. He's been cuddling up during recharge lately…"

Optimus vented and gently pushed Ratchet back before folding his hands in his lap.

"Which wouldn't be that big of a problem if it was anyone other than Sentinel. We have, well, we have a bit of a history. Used to be together in the Academy before he left Elita and sold me out to the Council."

Rachet crossed his arms over his chassis.

So you got trashed because Sentinel cuddled ya? I thought you were made of a little sterner stuff than that Optimus."

Optimus flinched, moving away from the medic.

"No. I got trashed because I forced myself on my former best friend and lover for petty revenge and it broke him. BROKE HIM, Ratchet."

"Kid, that mech doesn't seem like the breakable type."

The young Prime shook his helm.

"You didn't see. He hasn't always been as bad as he is now and the look on his face… Primus I wish I could take this whole thing back. I hurt him in the worst way possible Ratchet, and I don't know how to fix it."

Ratchet studied the cowed Prime. His posture screamed defeat; it was obvious that he truly thought he'd burned his bridges.

* * *

><p>...<p>

It had been two full cycles since Sentinel had thrown Optimus out.

The twins had taken all his energy, more than used to two bots playing with them, and he was grateful for the distraction. He didn't have the energy or time to put toward his still aching valve and jumbled processor.

He didn't.

No time for being sad or melancholy, no time to be mad, and certainly no time to cry cuddled up with the twins for the hundredth time.

They had been exceptionally good, almost as if they understood what was going on, for which Sentinel was tiredly happy for. The only thing that had really changed was that they insisted on being carried around, perched on his shovel pieces and holding his large hands close. They'd alternately nuzzle his fingers and helm, whichever happened to be in range, and place sloppy kisses to his chin.

It unnerved Sentinel, or would have if he had the energy, to know that these sparklings, this situation with Optimus, had broken him. He was no longer the same mech he'd been even the night of the accident and he wasn't sure if it was for the better or not.

Everything had gone south with the start of those Primus dammed recharge fluxes. Logically he knew that he hadn't consciously invited them into his processor, but the irrational part of him declared them to be the 'one true problem'. They'd started this monstrous decline because he couldn't keep his hands to himself during recharge.

And then he hadn't even been able to take what he'd been after. To just let Optimus frag him and be done with it. These Primus dammed emotions kept welling up, fighting to get free from a past that was more than willing to raze them into the ground and never think of them again.

Sentinel was more than through with himself. More than through with this need to touch his former friend and lover and… PIT if he wasn't thinking about it again.

But he couldn't help it. Stellar cycles had gone by since he'd abruptly buried his friend, his lover. When they'd been stationed away from each other he could pretend, he could forget anything ever existed. He could act like a jerk and NOT THINK because he wasn't close for long enough for it to matter.

Frag Wheeljack and his Pit spawned inventions. Frag Perceptor, who had probably supervised the whole slagging thing. Frag Optimus and his damn chivalry at accepting this job.

And frag him for thinking things could change. They couldn't, not when you'd fragged them up so badly that no one wanted to touch you with a thirty foot pole.

* * *

><p>...<p>

Optimus had been staring at his energon for nearly a joor and Ratchet was just about fed up with the young Prime. He hadn't moved in two cycles, just sat on his berth clutching his tatty blanket, and only because Ratchet had brought him energon had he even refueled at all.

"Slag it Optimus!"

He grabbed the energon and set it on the berthside table before hauling Optimus onto his pedes.

"We're done with this mess. You are going to go back to Sentinel's where you two can fragging TALK about whatever prompted this mess. Ultra Magnus isn't happy you've seemingly abandoned Sentinel to take care of the twins by himself, and I can't say I'm impressed with you right now either."

Prime allowed himself to be bothandled and it was enough to make Ratchet want to stop and run another diagnostic. His behavior had been so markedly off it was throwing the medic for a loop, not a feeling he was used too.

Still, there was no change in Optimus' apathetic manner by the time they reached Sentinel's flat. Not when they were grudgingly admitted entrance, not when Sentinel tensed, his large hands tightening momentarily over the twins, or when he was snarled at to get in and help out.

Nothing.

Optimus silently took Jetstorm, his hold loose but firm, but paid no attention to the pats and hugs the blue twin bestowed on him. He sat on the couch, offering a limp finger, dim optics cast toward the floor.

Ratchet grabbed Sentinel's arm and pulled him to the berthroom.

"What happened between the both of ya? I've never seen him like this before?"

Sentinel's scowl deepened and he refused to meet the old bot's optics.

"Our past caught up with us, medic. Nothing you need to worry yourself with."

A snort was his response.

"Mech, he aint moved in two cycles. Wouldn't have fueled if I hadn't been there to force him! So, yes, when one of my friends is upset enough to potentially offline themselves it's something I fragging need to worry myself with!"

Whatever Sentinel had been expecting, it hadn't been that. His face went from angry to agonized to hurt and back to angry in the space of a klick.

"Slagger thinks he can get out of it by just offlining does he?"

Ratchet found his arms full of sparkling as the large Prime went roaring into the living room. He followed to suddenly have Jetstorm pushed into his arms as well before being all but shoved out the door.

"I will be back later, Sentinel."

The blue bot nodded jerkily and mumbled what sounded surprisingly like a 'thank you' before shutting Ratchet out of his flat.

The medic sighed and turned, arms full of wailing sparklings, and walking back to his own home. It promised to be a long recharge period.


	7. Chapter 7

**Universe:** TF:Animated  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Sentinel Prime, Optimus Prime, Jetstorm, Jetfire, Ratchet, Jazz  
><strong>Rating:<strong> M  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> AU. This is set after they return to Cybertron. WILL HAVE: Dub con, sticky sex, tactile, bots turned sparklings, adult language and situations.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Owned by Hasbrotekatron or whoever…

* * *

><p>Sentinel stomped over to the couch, optics blazing, and yanked Optimus up. The red and blue bot was limp in his grasp, optics still dim and untracking as they stared at the floor.<p>

"Really Optimus? Really? Well FRAG YOU! You aren't the only one who regrets it! You aren't the only one here trying to ignore the Primus dammed monster in the corner."

He was shaking the other Prime, hands clasped so tightly to his shoulders they were leaving dents, with each exclamation.

"You got what you wanted, didn't you? Revenge?"

"No."

The word was spoken so quietly that Sentinel almost missed it.

"What? No? Well tell me then, _Prime_, what exactly did you want?"

Optimus suddenly burst to life under Sentinel's harsh treatment, arms shooting forward to crush the larger mech to his chassis as he growled into the other's neck.

"Damn you Sentinel! Damn you for not being there when I needed you! Damn you for ripping my entire life out from under me! Damn you for not being an ass when I needed you to be one! Damn you for letting me take your seal!"

Weak thumps against his shoulder punctuated each accusation and Sentinel tightened his arms around the other Prime almost before he knew what he was doing. This whole fragging mess was... well a mess. He'd never had to deal with this kind of thing before; emotions weren't something he was good at expressing, or dealing with.

"Yeah, well damn you too Optimus. Damn you for running away and leaving me here, waiting for you."

It was said quietly, as though any loud noises would break through whatever was going on. As though the world would shatter and they'd be back to hating each other again.

It was some time before either of them broke the silence. They stood, emotions captured in a fragile hold completely unlike the desperate grasp they had on the other. It was as close to _before_ as they'd ever gotten since their Academy days and it seemed wrong to ignore the thrum of contentedness that flowed through them even aside of their apprehension.

Tears dripped down their chassis, neither of them knowing who they belonged to, and broken hitching sobs seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

* * *

><p>Ratchet sighed. The twins had cried themselves to sleep, refusing his diluted Energon, and were moving fitfully on his berth.<p>

He really hoped that this whole ordeal with Optimus and Sentinel cleared itself up before Magnus had to get involved. He'd known Optimus had thought about petitioning for alternate caring options, one day at each leader's flat, but had knocked that idea down himself. These twins needed two caretakers as much as they needed each other, and no amount of fighting would have budged his opinion on that.

But Optimus hadn't fought, had he. He'd given up, something that had NEVER happened on Earth, and was something that Ratchet hadn't even thought of as a possibility. Never before had he seen Optimus Prime in a situation where he stopped working toward his goal. Never before had he seen Optimus Prime so discouraged and disheartened that he refused to fuel.

It was enough to give him a processor ache.

Whatever had happened between those two, it had been bad enough that Optimus felt like he'd raped the other Prime. Bad enough that in guilt for his actions he'd unconsciously thought to offline himself by starvation.

Ratchet was a medic, not a psychologist, but even he could see that the emotional hurts between the two had led them into a physical altercation, one that had pushed his Prime into an awkward and damaging position.

A heavy vent escaped Ratchet and he looked at the twins. He'd hoped Wheeljack would have been able to change them back by now, but Wheeljack's private comms had been apologetic and full of guilt. He didn't know what had caused the reaction in the first place, let alone how to replicate it in an opposite frequency. Every cycle that passed took a little more hope with the engineer, because there wasn't anything left to check.

Which meant that the twins were stuck to grow up a second time, with caregivers who had more problems than one of Perceptor's data screens.

* * *

><p>It was dark in Sentinel's flat, the lights having been long dimmed into nothingness from their timer. Both Primes were still wrapped around each other, their vents calm and easy, optics shuttered and helms just touching. Sentinel had Optimus' hand gently grasped within his own larger one, thumb tracing patterns and glyphs into the smooth metal. They stood, silent, simply touching. The only sounds coming from their own systems as they just let themselves be. Buried deep within each other's EM fields, always and never, touching and touched. It was a heady feeling after so long apart and it wasn't hard to stay wrapped up in the bliss it felt like.<p>

Electrical signals passed from circuit to circuit, energy arcing from neural line to plating, plating to neural line and their fields synced until it would have been impossible to tell who was who. It was as close as two mecha could get without hardlining into the other's systems or bonding. They knew what movements the other would make before the hydraulics fired, knew direction before their GPS linked wirelessly.

Together they flowed across the room, steps barely taking them apart from each other, and into the berthroom. Sentinel backed Optimus up to the edge and laid them both down with reverent care, hands smoothing the strong lines of his arms and chassis, raising their still entwined hands and kissing the blue digits one by one before disengaging. He nuzzled Optimus' chin, placing soft kisses up one side of his face and down the other before pressing their lips together.

It was tender, sweet, chaste. Sentinel moved back, sitting on his heels and just looking. Gazing at the one bot he'd always loved, seeing the hurt, trust and wariness in those blue optics that was outshadowed by a glimmer of hope.

A sliver of returned love.

Optimus had faded memories, Sentinel planned to make them new ones.

He pressed forward again, mouthing the other Prime's neck. Nipping and sucking the cabling until soft gasps filled the air and moving back up to claim that soft mouth. Full lips pressed together again and again, their helms changing angles with each kiss in a way that stimulated each and every neural sensor available. Hands came up and stroked; optical ridges, audial receivers, antenna, light touches grazed over the sensitive components with infinite gentleness.

Slowly, slowly, their hands migrated downward, tracing kibble, transformation seams and windshields; each touch igniting sparks of desire that coalesced into a deep burn. It spread until every connection invoked an inarticulate sound of pleasure and they were rocking together, interface panels still closed, soft words peppering the blissful cries and vents that rang in the berthroom.

Sentinel was first to slip a hand between them and trace the other's panel seams, light touches maddening to the oversensitive metal, and nudged his helm up under Optimus' chin to lathe a slick glossa once again over the already wet cables. A soft 'whoosh' and his panel slid open, spike pressurizing slowly out of its housing, valve dripping lubricant steadily onto the blue pelvic plate beneath him.

Optimus' body undulated under Sentinel, pressing into the hand on his panels. He reached down and grasped the other's helm, pulling the larger Prime in for kisses that alternated between fierce and languid, the dichotomy of the intensity pushing their charges higher.

A second 'whoosh' and Optimus' spike pressurized against Sentinel's, both of them stilling with a gasp as the metal rubbed together. They broke apart, venting heavily, and Sentinel sat back to admire the view for a moment before he gave both spikes a stroke. Then he lifted a leg over one of Optimus' thighs, pulling the other white thigh up and resting it on his own black one. Grinning softly at the other's confused look, he tilted his pelvic plate and pressed their valves together. He kept the pressure forward, the rims of their valves rubbing against each other, smearing fluid over the housing, and grasped Optimus' spike, sliding a thumb through the drops of transfluid beading at the top.

Neither of them was ready for penetration, this was still much too fragile for that, but Sentinel was determined to remind the other Prime how good they were together. It was his chance to prove that he could be something other than caustic and rough.

Blue hands were thrown backward and clutched at the pillows, fists tight enough that the gears creaked, and a moan escaped full lips. Sentinel rocked forward slightly, the slight grind a topping to the attention on Optimus' spike.

Suddenly the other gray hand was working its way around where they were pressed together, searching along the housing as if it was looking for something…

Optimus bowed off the berth, his back arching and arms coming up to lock around Sentinel's neck.

He pulled himself fully upright, their spikes trapped between their abdominal plating, panting and pressed their helms together, wordlessly urging Sentinel to continue. The gray fingers stroked again, each gentle rasp sending bolts of liquid pleasure into Optimus and he pressed against the pressure of both fingers and scorching hot valve repeatedly.

The hand on his spike started stroking in time with each press to whatever it was that made him feel like liquid goo. Alternating pulls with presses until there was no relief, only pleasure, and he _writhed_ into overload, limbs tensing and a low subsonic rumble pulsing through his whole body.

Sentinel milked Optimus for every joule of pleasure he could, hands not stopping until the other Prime was limp and twitching from the overstimulation. Finally he let go, bringing his hands up to wrap them again around the other Prime's helm, bringing them together for slow, tender kisses.

It was a long while before either of them moved and even then it was only to lay down, side by side, kisses sticky sweet and lingering even as Optimus gathered enough presence to reach down and stroke Sentinel's spike slowly. Squeezing gently every few strokes before letting Sentinel just thrust into the circle his hand made, bringing him to a cresting release that spurt transfluid over white thighs.

When they finally stopped and simply lay in each other's arms it was nearly morning, the sounds of workers getting ready reaching their audials through the closed window.

"Where do we go from here?"

A small question, full of fear and doubt, but one that had an answer that would affect them both equally in a large way. Sentinel looked the smaller Prime in the optics, trying to will every bit of emotion he could into visibility.

"I'm… I'm not good with this. Frag… I've only ever hurt the people I cared about because of my own stupidity, but Optimus, I do, DO want to try again."

It was a paltry offering compared to what he felt, but he couldn't seem to find the words to express himself properly. Frustrated with his own cowardice and inability to just tell Optimus how he felt, Sentinel raised his hand, a panel sliding back to reveal a cable plug and matching port.

Optimus vented in sharply. Hardlining was incredibly intimate, you had no secrets, no place to hide when you were cabled up to another mech. What Sentinel was offering, it was truthful enough that he was willing to bare himself down to the programming to Optimus.

Slowly, his own hand trembling just a bit, Optimus raised his own port and cable plug. They intertwined their fingers and pressed palms flat against each other, plugs engaging and snapping forward into their respective ports, and suddenly the world imploded. Their perceptions bowed inward and they could see their innerworkings, connected to each other with neon strings that sang with electrical current.

Sentinel directed his feelings, the shame and guilt, the love and misery, the pain and fear associated with Optimus forward and the firetruck could feel the larger Prime's body trembling in an almost debilitating terror.

Connected as they were it was heady to feel so many emotions that weren't his own and Optimus felt a brief, almost vindictive pleasure at Sentinel finally so bared. A wave of shock and hurt shook it from his processor and immediately his own sorrowful and apologetic feelings flowed through them. He opened his own emotions and watched as Sentinel alternately basked and crumbled from his own anger, slowly returning love and mistrust. Besides baring their sparks, this was the one thing they'd never done. It was too easy to get caught up in the little things that flew through every mech's processor, and it was something a little more permanent than either had wanted to consider at the time.

This though, it was proof that neither was truly interested in hurting the other party, fleeting thoughts aside. It was an assurance to Optimus that Sentinel was serious, and an assurance to Sentinel that Optimus was willing to give him another chance.

* * *

><p>Ratchet rang the bell, the twins fussing in his arms, and glared at the door when it didn't open. He was about to ring again when he heard footsteps and turned to see Jazz climbing up the steps to stand beside him.<p>

"Heya Docbot, you know what's goin' on in there?"

Ratchet shifted the twins, trying to keep them from crying. "Only that I told Sentinel he had one night to fix whatever they slagged up between each other. Said I'd be back in the morning and here I am, waiting for one of them to open the pit spawned door!"

Jazz chuckled, but turned and entered in Magnus' override code into the keypad. "Ultra Magnus is worried about 'em, neither of 'em's been answering their comms again."

The door slid open and they moved in quietly, taking in the slightly shuffled furniture before Ratchet turned toward the berthroom and walked in.

::You might wanna see this::

Jazz cocked his head, but walked into the berthroom behind Ratchet before stopping short. The two Primes were tangled together on the berth, legs entertwined and hands still clasped together in a way that both Jazz and Ratchet knew was from hardlining. They were still deep in recharge, chassis rising and falling with each vent of air, systems humming in a way that was most certainly satisfied.

The twins were silent, but struggling to get out of Ratchet's arms. They pounded on his arms, reaching out toward the bots lying on the berth.

Rachet looked at Jazz, who shrugged with a grin, then shook his own helm and placed them down between the sleeping mechs. The twins settled in immediately, optics dimming as they slipped into their own much needed recharge.

The two left awake walked back out to the sitting area, resolved to waiting for their answers.

* * *

><p>Optimus was the first to online and noticed the addition of the twins with a smile. He and Sentinel were still connected, so he sent the command to disengage only to have the other Prime tighten his hold as their cable plugs snapped apart and the hardline panels slid closed.<p>

"Hey there gorgeous."

Sentinel had a completely out of place goofy smile plastered on his face. To Optimus, who hadn't seen this kind of affection openly displayed since the Academy, it was wonderful. Something to celebrate for sure.

"Hello yourself."

The twins, who had been awake and watching them, perked up at the sound of their voices.

"Mamulya! Otets!"

"Da! Ah ah! Otets!"

With a soft expression, Optimus shook his hand free from Sentinel's and offered the pinky to Jetstorm, rolling onto his back and settling the tiny jet on his chassis. His other hand came up to stroke the sparkling from helm to pede, low yummy noises rumbling from the contented flyer.

Sentinel cradled Jetfire up to his face, blowing a raspberry against the black abdominal plating. Jetfire burst into giggles, his arms and legs flailing as each successive zerbert sent him into another fit of shrieking laughter.

The door opened and Ratchet stomped in, followed by an amused looking Jazz.

"I hope you two got whatever was knocking your knees figured out, because if I have to deal with your slag again you're going to find yourselves in _BIG_ trouble. Do you both understand me?"

Serious looks passed between the Primes before they nodded at Ratchet. "We've worked out a bunch of things Ratchet, and while I can't promise you our 'slag' is taken care of, I can assure you that we will be working it out between us in the future."

Ratchet narrowed his optics at Optimus, than turned to look at Sentinel. "Well?"

The blue Prime gave an annoyed look, but adjusted Jetfire on his kibble before responding. "We worked it out medic. That's all you need to know."

There was a brief moment that had Optimus' systems stalling as he watched the two stare at each other before Ratchet straightened up and gave them both a curt nod, dragging Jazz with him out of the room.

"Nice to see you OP, might want to get Sentinel to help you buff out those scuff marks, ya dig?"

Optimus groaned, clapping a hand to his face in embarrassment and Jazz's laughter rang through the apartment.

* * *

><p>It was permanent.<p>

Wheeljack had tried, but nothing he'd come up with was even remotely capable of transferring the twins back to their original forms. When he'd finally given up, Wheeljack had locked himself in his own flat for nearly a month. Perceptor had been the one to finally drag him back out, and Wheeljack had looked so forlorn and apologetic that no one had the spark to blame him for anything.

So the twins stayed in Optimus' and Sentinel's care. Optimus himself moved into the larger Prime's flat, something that had surprised him in a big way. He'd simply gone out one day and come back with a box of personal items that had immediately found their way into the 'décor'.

Still, it was pleasant, and their friends could tell that they were truly enjoying themselves.

* * *

><p>Jazz was watching from a distance, checking up per Magnus' orders.<p>

The two Primes and the twins were at a local park, the upgraded sparklings running around the play equipment, but it was Sentinel and Optimus that held his attention.

They had just finished chasing the twins around and were standing next to each other, watching Jetstorm and Jetfire swing from a jungle gym. Their hands were clasped together at their sides, the most physical affection either would show in public, but Jazz saw the looks shot between them.

He chuckled. Magnus was eager to pass off his paperwork again, but these two deserved a little more time together.

As a family.

* * *

><p>Thank you for being so patient with me OP! I've been working on school and work and blah! Anyway, I hope this met your expectations, and that you enjoyed it!<p> 


End file.
